Kibaki denies hosting Mungiki at State House

By Peter Opiyo and PPS

President Kibaki has denied a meeting of the outlawed Mungiki sect took place at State House, Nairobi, as the International Criminal Court claims.

In a dispatch by the Presidential Press Service, the meeting which is said to have taken place on November 26, 2007, and other dates, is termed as "an imagination of a prosecution witness".

"As we have stated in the past, no such meetings took place at State House, Nairobi, and is indeed the product of the imagination of the so-called anonymous prosecution witness," read the statement.

PPS pointed out that the diary of events of the President on the said date are clearly outlined in the State House website. On that material date, PPS says, President Kibaki met his Kibaki Tena campaign team at State House, Nairobi, where he outlined his plans for a youth Marshall Plan.

"It is unfortunate that this grouping that brought together professionals, businessmen and youth leaders is now being branded Mungiki. It is even more erroneous to claim that Hon Uhuru Kenyatta was at this meeting because he was not as evidenced by the photograph," read the statement.

ICC pointed out that Kibaki, Uhuru, PPS Director Isaiah Kabira, Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura, and others attended the meeting.

"Soon after that meeting, President Kibaki proceeded to Intercontinental Hotel where he was hosting lunch for PNU parliamentary candidates," the statement went on.

On another meeting said to have taken place on December 30, 2007, PPS said: "The other alleged meeting is yet another fallacy, because it is on this day that President Kibaki was sworn-in at an event that was covered by local and international media and relayed live from State House, Nairobi."

"Once again we wish to state that it is extremely unfortunate that the ICC prosecutor relied on false and anonymous witnesses to bring in the name of the President on an extremely sensitive matter of national security."